Gloucester RFC
Encyclopedia
Gloucester Rugby are a professional English rugby union
club situated in the west country
city of Gloucester
. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership. They also compete in the Anglo-Welsh LV= Cup and the European Rugby Cup
competitions.
The team plays out of its home stadium in the district of Kingsholm, just outside Gloucester city centre.
The club has no official nickname but are occasionally referred to as the 'Cherry and Whites' by supporters and the media in reference to the traditional hooped shirts worn by the team.
Gloucester Rugby's fiercest rivals are Bath
and Bristol
with matches between the three sides being referred to as west country derbies, although unfortunately Bristol
were relegated from the Premiership in 2009 and have yet to return. Exeter, promoted in 2010, now provide a third West Country team to the Premiership. The club was formed in 1873.
"A football club (as rugby was then called) has been formed in this city – the season's operations begin at the Spa on the first Tuesday in next month." a team was then organised to play the College school which was actually played on the ground of the current Kingsholm.
There were 11 games played during the club's 1876–77 season, the club winning 6, losing 2 and drawing 3. Gloucester Rugby Football Club had a successful run in the coming seasons, playing 15 games in both the 1877–78 and 1878–79 seasons, winning 10, losing 2 and drawing 3 both times. In the 1879–80 season Gloucester RFC played 17 games and lost just two. The following season was less successful, winning six of their 13 fixtures. In the 1882–83 season the team won 11 of their 14 games. The club was playing more fixtures as the decade continued, contesting 20 games in the 1884–85 season, and up to 34 in the 1891–92 season. The club left the Spa after an argument with the cricket club that they were ground sharing with. During the winter the Rugby Club had used a salt mixture to remove frost from the pitch, resulting in the death of the grass on the wicket. Gloucester RFC were no longer welcome at the Spa ground.They then acquired lands from the Castle Grim Estate for £4,000 in 1891 and have resided in this place, known since as Kingsholm.
Gloucester RFC were suspended by the RFU for professionalism as a result of the club recruiting players: the "Shewell case". The club responded by adopting a more puritanical adherence to the amateur regulations, and were reinstated. However when the Northern clubs split from the RFU to form the Northern Rugby Union (later known as the Rugby Football League
) a number of Gloucester RFC players "went North".
The 1920–21 season became famous for Gloucester RFC when Fredd Webb skippered the club to 23 matches unbeaten at home at Kingsholm, with only the United Services and Pontypool clubs being able to defeat them at home. Gloucester RFC defeated Newport 12 to 9 in front of 8,000 spectators. The following season was infamous for the number of footballers that were sent from the field by officials, 14 for fighting, seven for arguing, six for language and one for foul play. Leicester actually cancelled their Gloucester RFC fixture because of this. Around the mid 1920s the media began to refer to the club as the 'Red and Whites'.
, Bristol
, London Welsh and Coventry
(all away from home) in earlier rounds, they beat Moseley
in a Twickenham final that was marred by violence and the sending off of Moseley's Nigel Horton. In 1978 Gloucester RFC won the first ever John Player Cup, defeating Leicester
in another final noted for violent play both on and off the pitch at Twickenham
.
Despite the two cup wins of the 1970s and a shared trophy in 1982, Gloucester RFC were soon to find themselves in the shadow of Bath, the rising force from down the A46.
Bath finished runners-up in the league in 1989, but the disastrous end to the 1989/90 campaign was to be a prelude to lean years. Closing in on English rugby's first 'Double', Gloucester RFC's last-day collapse handed Wasps the league title before a 48–6 cup final heartbreak at the hands of Bath.
By 1992/93 however it was a different story. The players called a crisis meeting with club coach Keith Richardson
about the perceived lack of player rewards relative to other comparable clubs. A year later, club chairman Peter Ford restated the club's traditional anti-professionalism: "We play by the rules. .. whatever anybody else does, we'll stick by the rules. If they say we can't pay players, or offer them inducements or cars or flats. .. then we won't do it."
Richard Hill, former tormentor from fierce rivals Bath and Bristol, was instilled as Head Coach
Professionalism finally came in 1995, but Gloucester RFC was without a major investor, and lost ground in terms of player recruitment and revenue acquisition. But this did not prevent the club from transforming itself into a limited company
.
became the new club owner with a majority shareholding on 29 April 1997. Richard Hill's position would soon be filled by former France
captain Philippe Saint-André
.
In Saint-Andre's first full season, a third-place finish in 1999/2000 took Gloucester into the Heineken Cup
. With Phil Vickery, Trevor Woodman and All Blacks legend Ian Jones forming the basis of a formidable pack, Gloucester RFC marched their way to the last four, where only last-ditch Leicester defending would deny them a final appearance.
Saint-Andre's acrimonious departure couldn't stop them winning their first cup triumph in 25 years in 2003, under new coach Nigel Melville
.
Unstoppable in the league, Gloucester RFC reached the inaugural Championship final 15 points clear of their nearest rival, however under the new league system Gloucester RFC were 'rewarded' with a 3 week lay-off, while Wasps played regular rugby during the 3 weeks as a result Gloucester RFC lost their momentum and were crushed emphatically by Wasps at Twickenham.
During the next few seasons Gloucester RFC failed to build on the success of the 2002–03 season. Things became worse in the 2004–05 season when they failed to qualify for the Heineken Cup. Nigel Melville left the club and was replaced by Dean Ryan
for the 2005–06 season.
The 2005–06 season was an improvement in the clubs fortunes, although they did not qualify for the play-offs, they were strong contenders and lost out on the last day of the regular season. They also won silverware in the European Challenge Cup
, defeating London Irish
in a tense final that went into extra time. This season was also a glimpse of the incredible talent Gloucester RFC were bringing up from their academy.
Gloucester Rugby finished 1st in the 2006/2007 Guinness Premiership table, both Leicester and Gloucester Rugby tied with 71 points, Gloucester Rugby gaining first place with more games won, they also demonstrated their level of skill and vision in the Heineken Cup, against sides such as Leinster
and Edinburgh despite not progressing past the group stage, Gloucester Rugby defeated the Saracens in the semi-final at Kingsholm, 50–9, to move into the Twickenham final where they faced Leicester Tigers
. However, Gloucester Rugby were beaten heavily by the Tigers with the final score being 44–16, Gloucester Rugby again being defeated by the play-off system.
Gloucester Rugby began the 2007/08 Guinness premiership campaign as favourites, and started the season strongly winning their first five games before defeat away to London Irish. Dean Ryan's main focus for the 2007/08 season was for Gloucester to establish themselves in Europe, but despite coming top of their group they lost to Munster
in the Quarter Final. After the Heineken Cup exit Gloucester overcame their poor mid-season form with a series of victories capping it off with their first away win against Wasps
for 18 years, and then defeating Bath in an intense encounter at Kingsholm to win the league for the second year running, and book a home semi-final in the Championship Play-off against Leicester Tigers in a repeat of last seasons Championship final.
The result was the same, although a closer affair. The Tigers won 25–26 courtesy of an Andy Goode drop goal 3 minutes from time but Gloucester had seemed in control. They led 12–3 at half-time and 22–13 at one point in the second half. However, a sliced box kick from Gloucester fly-half Ryan Lamb
(on his birthday), followed by a catastrophic error by Iain Balshaw
who passed metres behind Willie Walker
, allowed Leicester's former All-Black Aaron Mauger
to score under the posts and close the gap to 22–20. An Andy Goode
penalty gave them the lead and a drop goal for each team in the last ten minutes (in which Lamb also missed a penalty) meant that the Leicester Tigers became the first team in premiership history to win a semi-final away from home, and once again left Gloucester's fans heart-broken.
After failing to qualify for the play-off's in 2008/09 and defeat to Cardiff
in the EDF Energy Cup
Final at Twickenham
, Gloucester announced on 11 June 2009 that Dean Ryan had left the club by mutual consent. He was replaced by assistant Bryan Redpath
.
Tragedy struck the club on 12 December 2010, when popular club owner Tom Walkinshaw died from cancer at the age of 64. David McKnight was appointed non-executive chairman in April 2011, and will work alongside Tom's son Ryan at Kingsholm.
On 20 March 2011, Gloucester triumphed 34-7 over Newcastle Falcons to win the Anglo-Welsh LV Cup
, thus ensuring qualification for the 2011-12 Heineken Cup
.
.
The club left the Spa Ground for Kingsholm when it bought an area of the Castle Grim Estate for £4,000 in 1891.
Upon moving from the Spa in 1891, Gloucester Rugby Football Club opened the "Sixpenny" stand, which later became known as the Shed. Kingsholm's capacity was further increased to 20,000 in 1926 when a grandstand was added to the stadium at a cost of £2,500, containing 1,750 seats. However six years later it was destroyed by fire. There were plans proposed to increase the seating capacity of the stadium to 7,000. However, it remained a proposal, although the grandstand was replaced, terracing in the Sixpenny, and at the Tummp end was preferred, and indeed, more affordable in the early 20th Century.
Like the clubs of the Welsh mining valleys, Gloucester Rugby traditionally drew its support and its playing strength from local working-class communities. The Shed, so-called because it looks like a cow shed, became known as such in the 1950s. Gloucester Rugby's fanzine, 'Shed Head' refers to it as 'the cauldron of fear'. The Shed is standing-only terracing that runs continuously down one touchline, opposite the point where visiting teams emerge from the dressing rooms. Its low tin roof amplifies the effect of a passionate support which has been mentioned by commentators sitting above it during live broadcasts.
In October 2003, Gloucester Rugby launched 'Project Kingsholm'. 'The Kingsholm Supporters Mutual' (KSM) was set up by Gloucester Rugby Football Club in October 2003, to help fundraise towards 'Project Kingsholm', the redevelopment of Gloucester’s entire ground at a cost of £6,000,000, and the launch of a supporters shares rights issue. The idea was to be similar to the development at Franklins Gardens, home of Northamption Saints RFC, although on a bigger scale, incorporating both seating and terracing. Despite the KSM meeting the fundraising targets, Gloucester Rugby abandoned all plans.
In 2006, the club announced it would be making an extension to Kingsholm, bringing the stadium capacity up to 16,500. This was mainly to comply with Premier Rugby's minimum seat number requirements. The old main Grandstand (which was both terracing and seating) was later replaced by a new all seater structure, while terracing on the Worcester Street end of the ground was developed into an all seater stand, known as the 'Buildbase' stand at the time.
In January 2007, the club announced plans to redevelop The Shed terracing to all seater. This was intended to enable the entire stadium to become all-seating. A large number of supporters did not want to see this happen under the proposals put forward by Gloucester Rugby, and a poster campaign under the name of 'Save Our Shed' or 'SOS' was initiated by the KSM, and sponsored by the Gloucester Citizen
newspaper. Posters were held up by supporters standing in the Shed, on camera during a televised Heineken Cup match against Leinster at Kingsholm. T-shirts were also made independently by supporters, with the slogan 'Save Our Shed' printed on them. The campaign did not protest the redevelopment of the Shed, rather the plans put forward at the time which were to replace all terracing with seats, leaving no alternative anywhere in the ground, despite such a large demand for terracing.
In September 2008, chairman Tom Wilkinshaw confirmed there were plans for the Shed to be redeveloped, but it would remain as a terrace (with an increased capacity of 6000), with hospitality units above it. However, as of the 2010/11 season, the need and desire for redeveloping the Shed decreased with the above mentioned plans proving to be conjecture, and as such abandoned, have never come into effect and do not appear to for the foreseeable future.
2007 also saw the club reject the proposal of a new 20,000 all seater stadium in an area of the city nicknamed 'The Railway Triangle'. This was intended to be shared with the local football side. Kingsholm was also suggested in October 2007 as a possible temporary home for Gloucester City A.F.C.
after their stadium Meadow Park was flooded and then abandoned following the summer floods
. This move was, however, rejected by Gloucester Rugby Chairman, Tom Walkinshaw
.
began several changes to modernise the club in order to keep up with rugby's rapidly advancing professionalism, whilst the majority of fans supported the need to modernise, some fans were concerned that the club was losing touch with its heritage and traditions. 'Gloucester Rugby Football Club' has been renamed 'Gloucester Rugby' and, due to copyright issues, no longer use Gloucester City's Coat of Arms as the clubs crest (as the crest didn't belong to the club, and with no copyright, unofficial merchandise was freely available).
For the start of the 2001/02 season the club introduced New Jersey's which no longer featured the cherry-and-white hoops, instead featuring a largely red shirt with small white sleeves. They returned to hoops in the 2003/04 season, with thin white hoops. As of the 2005/06 season, the club moved away from traditional hoops again. The New Jersey was predominantly red, with white pannelling on the side in a 'ladder' effect. This was dubbed the 'Spiderman' or 'Arsenal' kit by supporters. The new kit also abandoned the traditional navy blue shorts and socks, with the new design becoming all red. On the release of the 05/06 shirt there was a degree of disappointment in Gloucester Rugby's decision to move away from the hooped jersey again (a design generally associated with traditional rugby shirts), as this was a dramatic move away from the classic Gloucester Rugby design. After the new 05/06 shirt was released, 'Hudson & Sons Sports Shop' of Gloucester city centre, released a classic plain cherry and white hooped Gloucester Rugby jersey, manufactured by Cotton Traders
(who supplied Gloucester Rugby Jerseys prior to the 2007–08 season when the manufacture of kit was taken over by RugbyTech), albeit an unofficial jersey which is not associated with the club, the shirt proved popular with fans unhappy with the official shirt. On the back of this success, many of the Public Houses in the Kingsholm area also began selling shirts with the classic hoops. Although these shirts do not display the name 'Gloucester Rugby', due to copyright, the Hudson variety were labelled 'Gloucester Rugby Football Club' while the pub versions used the title 'Cherry and Whites'. Both designs used the traditional cherry and white hoops, with the title under the Gloucester city coat of arms. As such many of the fans who disapproved of the new original design were able to purchase this classic design instead.
A number of fans commented on the irony that whilst the new crest and shirt design were originally designed in order to prevent unofficial merchandise, they have in fact increased the number of fans turning to unofficial shirts. Gloucester Rugby released its own, official, supporters shirt displaying the classic hooped design with the new club crest above the date of the clubs inception '1873'. For the start of the 2009/10 season, the club returned the first team jersey design to the cherry and white hoops.
.
The issue of the club's nickname has created split opinions amongst it supporters. There are some who would like to see the 'cherry and whites' nickname made official and who see the club suggesting that a colour isn't intimidating as ludicrous, pointing out that probably the most intimidating team in the world are the New Zealand All Blacks, who don't seem to find having a colour nickname crippling. Other fans don't see the need of having an official nickname and are happy to simply use 'Gloucester'.
Olly Morgan
Luke Narraway
Charlie Sharples
James Simpson-Daniel
Mike Tindall
Lesley Vainikolo
Tom Voyce
Akapusi Qera
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu Jim Hamilton Rory Lawson
Scott Lawson
Alasdair Strokosch
Will James
Pampas XV
) Nathan Charles
(from
Western Force
) Dan Murphy (from
London Irish
) Nick Runciman
(from London Welsh) Dario Chistolini
(from
Petrarca Padova)
(to Bath
) Paul Doran-Jones
(to Northampton Saints
) Jordi Pasqualin
(to Newcastle Falcons
) Dan Williams
(to
Colomiers
) Olivier Azam
Retiring, Toulon
forwards coach Pierre Capdevielle
(to Brive
) Alasdair Dickinson
(to Sale Sharks
) Nicky Robinson (to London Wasps
)
Dave Attwood
Olly Barkley
Phil Blakeway
Steve Boyle
Paul Doran-Jones
James Forrester
Andy Gomarsall
Steve Mills
Henry Paul
Don Rutherford
Mike Teague
Phil Vickery
Dan Williams
Trevor Woodman
John Gordon A'Bear
, international rugby union player with the British and Irish Lions
, and Gloucester's youngest ever captain Apolosi Satala
Olivier Azam
Christian Califano
Pierre Capdevielle
Patrice Collazo
Philippe Saint-André
Ludovic Mercier
Dimitri Yachvili
Marco Bortolami
Carlos Nieto
Ian Jones
Greg Somerville
Terry Fanolua
Alasdair Dickinson
Chris Paterson
Gareth Cooper
Mefin Davies
Gareth Delve
Byron Hayward
Kingsley Jones Nicky Robinson Andy Williams
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club situated in the west country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
city of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
. The club plays in the domestic Aviva Premiership. They also compete in the Anglo-Welsh LV= Cup and the European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup is the organising body of two European rugby union club tournaments; the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The organisation was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Dublin...
competitions.
The team plays out of its home stadium in the district of Kingsholm, just outside Gloucester city centre.
The club has no official nickname but are occasionally referred to as the 'Cherry and Whites' by supporters and the media in reference to the traditional hooped shirts worn by the team.
Gloucester Rugby's fiercest rivals are Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
and Bristol
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
with matches between the three sides being referred to as west country derbies, although unfortunately Bristol
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
were relegated from the Premiership in 2009 and have yet to return. Exeter, promoted in 2010, now provide a third West Country team to the Premiership. The club was formed in 1873.
1873–1971
The club was formed in 1873 after a meeting at the Spread Eagle Hotel with the announcement in the Gloucester Journal:"A football club (as rugby was then called) has been formed in this city – the season's operations begin at the Spa on the first Tuesday in next month." a team was then organised to play the College school which was actually played on the ground of the current Kingsholm.
There were 11 games played during the club's 1876–77 season, the club winning 6, losing 2 and drawing 3. Gloucester Rugby Football Club had a successful run in the coming seasons, playing 15 games in both the 1877–78 and 1878–79 seasons, winning 10, losing 2 and drawing 3 both times. In the 1879–80 season Gloucester RFC played 17 games and lost just two. The following season was less successful, winning six of their 13 fixtures. In the 1882–83 season the team won 11 of their 14 games. The club was playing more fixtures as the decade continued, contesting 20 games in the 1884–85 season, and up to 34 in the 1891–92 season. The club left the Spa after an argument with the cricket club that they were ground sharing with. During the winter the Rugby Club had used a salt mixture to remove frost from the pitch, resulting in the death of the grass on the wicket. Gloucester RFC were no longer welcome at the Spa ground.They then acquired lands from the Castle Grim Estate for £4,000 in 1891 and have resided in this place, known since as Kingsholm.
Gloucester RFC were suspended by the RFU for professionalism as a result of the club recruiting players: the "Shewell case". The club responded by adopting a more puritanical adherence to the amateur regulations, and were reinstated. However when the Northern clubs split from the RFU to form the Northern Rugby Union (later known as the Rugby Football League
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
) a number of Gloucester RFC players "went North".
The 1920–21 season became famous for Gloucester RFC when Fredd Webb skippered the club to 23 matches unbeaten at home at Kingsholm, with only the United Services and Pontypool clubs being able to defeat them at home. Gloucester RFC defeated Newport 12 to 9 in front of 8,000 spectators. The following season was infamous for the number of footballers that were sent from the field by officials, 14 for fighting, seven for arguing, six for language and one for foul play. Leicester actually cancelled their Gloucester RFC fixture because of this. Around the mid 1920s the media began to refer to the club as the 'Red and Whites'.
1972–1997
In 1972 Gloucester RFC won the first ever National Knock-Out Competition. Having overcome BathBath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
, Bristol
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
, London Welsh and Coventry
Coventry R.F.C.
Coventry Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the city of Coventry, England. The club enjoyed national success during the 1960s and the 1970s, with many of its players playing for their countries....
(all away from home) in earlier rounds, they beat Moseley
Moseley Rugby Football Club
Moseley Rugby Football Club is an English rugby union club, based at Billesley Common in Birmingham, that competes in the RFU Championship. The club was historically the premier rugby club in Birmingham, reaching the final of the John Player Cup three times in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
in a Twickenham final that was marred by violence and the sending off of Moseley's Nigel Horton. In 1978 Gloucester RFC won the first ever John Player Cup, defeating Leicester
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
in another final noted for violent play both on and off the pitch at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
.
Despite the two cup wins of the 1970s and a shared trophy in 1982, Gloucester RFC were soon to find themselves in the shadow of Bath, the rising force from down the A46.
Bath finished runners-up in the league in 1989, but the disastrous end to the 1989/90 campaign was to be a prelude to lean years. Closing in on English rugby's first 'Double', Gloucester RFC's last-day collapse handed Wasps the league title before a 48–6 cup final heartbreak at the hands of Bath.
By 1992/93 however it was a different story. The players called a crisis meeting with club coach Keith Richardson
Keith Richardson
Keith Richardson is an English television executive who is currently Controller of Drama for ITV Yorkshire and is notable for being Executive Producer of the station's primetime soap, Emmerdale. Richardson was in charge of the programme for 24 years, during which time he oversaw its transformation...
about the perceived lack of player rewards relative to other comparable clubs. A year later, club chairman Peter Ford restated the club's traditional anti-professionalism: "We play by the rules. .. whatever anybody else does, we'll stick by the rules. If they say we can't pay players, or offer them inducements or cars or flats. .. then we won't do it."
Richard Hill, former tormentor from fierce rivals Bath and Bristol, was instilled as Head Coach
Professionalism finally came in 1995, but Gloucester RFC was without a major investor, and lost ground in terms of player recruitment and revenue acquisition. But this did not prevent the club from transforming itself into a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
.
The Walkinshaw Era
Tom WalkinshawTom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
became the new club owner with a majority shareholding on 29 April 1997. Richard Hill's position would soon be filled by former France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
captain Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and...
.
In Saint-Andre's first full season, a third-place finish in 1999/2000 took Gloucester into the Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
. With Phil Vickery, Trevor Woodman and All Blacks legend Ian Jones forming the basis of a formidable pack, Gloucester RFC marched their way to the last four, where only last-ditch Leicester defending would deny them a final appearance.
Saint-Andre's acrimonious departure couldn't stop them winning their first cup triumph in 25 years in 2003, under new coach Nigel Melville
Nigel Melville
Nigel David Melville is a former England national rugby union team scrum half and captain.He became the youngest player to captain England on his début when he led them against Australia in November 1984. He went onto make another twelve appearances over the next four years.He attended Aireborough...
.
Unstoppable in the league, Gloucester RFC reached the inaugural Championship final 15 points clear of their nearest rival, however under the new league system Gloucester RFC were 'rewarded' with a 3 week lay-off, while Wasps played regular rugby during the 3 weeks as a result Gloucester RFC lost their momentum and were crushed emphatically by Wasps at Twickenham.
During the next few seasons Gloucester RFC failed to build on the success of the 2002–03 season. Things became worse in the 2004–05 season when they failed to qualify for the Heineken Cup. Nigel Melville left the club and was replaced by Dean Ryan
Dean Ryan
Dean Ryan is a former corporal in the Corp of Royal Engineers and England Rugby Union Number 8, and was Head Coach at Guinness Premiership side Gloucester Rugby.-Playing career:During his on-field career Ryan played for Saracens, Wasps, Newcastle and Bristol...
for the 2005–06 season.
The 2005–06 season was an improvement in the clubs fortunes, although they did not qualify for the play-offs, they were strong contenders and lost out on the last day of the regular season. They also won silverware in the European Challenge Cup
European Challenge Cup
The European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
, defeating London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
in a tense final that went into extra time. This season was also a glimpse of the incredible talent Gloucester RFC were bringing up from their academy.
Gloucester Rugby finished 1st in the 2006/2007 Guinness Premiership table, both Leicester and Gloucester Rugby tied with 71 points, Gloucester Rugby gaining first place with more games won, they also demonstrated their level of skill and vision in the Heineken Cup, against sides such as Leinster
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and Edinburgh despite not progressing past the group stage, Gloucester Rugby defeated the Saracens in the semi-final at Kingsholm, 50–9, to move into the Twickenham final where they faced Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers is an English rugby union club that plays in the Aviva Premiership.Leicester are the most successful English club since the introduction of league rugby in 1987, a record 9 times English champions - 3 more than either Bath or Wasps, the last of which was in 2010...
. However, Gloucester Rugby were beaten heavily by the Tigers with the final score being 44–16, Gloucester Rugby again being defeated by the play-off system.
Gloucester Rugby began the 2007/08 Guinness premiership campaign as favourites, and started the season strongly winning their first five games before defeat away to London Irish. Dean Ryan's main focus for the 2007/08 season was for Gloucester to establish themselves in Europe, but despite coming top of their group they lost to Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
in the Quarter Final. After the Heineken Cup exit Gloucester overcame their poor mid-season form with a series of victories capping it off with their first away win against Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
for 18 years, and then defeating Bath in an intense encounter at Kingsholm to win the league for the second year running, and book a home semi-final in the Championship Play-off against Leicester Tigers in a repeat of last seasons Championship final.
The result was the same, although a closer affair. The Tigers won 25–26 courtesy of an Andy Goode drop goal 3 minutes from time but Gloucester had seemed in control. They led 12–3 at half-time and 22–13 at one point in the second half. However, a sliced box kick from Gloucester fly-half Ryan Lamb
Ryan Lamb
Ryan Lamb is a rugby union player who plays at fly-half for Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership.-Club career:...
(on his birthday), followed by a catastrophic error by Iain Balshaw
Iain Balshaw
Iain Robert Balshaw, MBE is a rugby footballer who plays on the wing or at full back for Biarritz.-Early life:...
who passed metres behind Willie Walker
Willie Walker
This article is about the New Zealand rugby player. For the DC Comics character of the same name, see Black Racer.Willie Walker is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Guinness Premiership for Worcester Warriors...
, allowed Leicester's former All-Black Aaron Mauger
Aaron Mauger
Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger is a former rugby union player who played at centre for Leicester Tigers. He previously played first five-eighths and second five-eighths for Canterbury , the Crusaders and the New Zealand All Blacks...
to score under the posts and close the gap to 22–20. An Andy Goode
Andy Goode
Andrew James Goode is a rugby union footballer who plays fly-half for Worcester and England.-Career:...
penalty gave them the lead and a drop goal for each team in the last ten minutes (in which Lamb also missed a penalty) meant that the Leicester Tigers became the first team in premiership history to win a semi-final away from home, and once again left Gloucester's fans heart-broken.
After failing to qualify for the play-off's in 2008/09 and defeat to Cardiff
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
in the EDF Energy Cup
EDF Energy Cup
The Anglo-Welsh Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the LV Cup , is an English and Welsh rugby union knock-out cup competition featuring the twelve Aviva Premiership clubs and four Welsh Regions...
Final at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, Gloucester announced on 11 June 2009 that Dean Ryan had left the club by mutual consent. He was replaced by assistant Bryan Redpath
Bryan Redpath
Bryan William Redpath is a former rugby union player, and a member of the Scottish line of scrum-halves that include Gary Armstrong, Roy Laidlaw, Alan Lawson, Chris Cusiter and Mike Blair. Bryan attended Kelso High School in Kelso, Scottish Borders.Redpath won 60 caps playing for Scotland,...
.
Tragedy struck the club on 12 December 2010, when popular club owner Tom Walkinshaw died from cancer at the age of 64. David McKnight was appointed non-executive chairman in April 2011, and will work alongside Tom's son Ryan at Kingsholm.
On 20 March 2011, Gloucester triumphed 34-7 over Newcastle Falcons to win the Anglo-Welsh LV Cup
2010–11 LV Cup
The 2010–11 LV Cup was the 40th season of England's national rugby union cup competition, and the sixth to follow the Anglo-Welsh format....
, thus ensuring qualification for the 2011-12 Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
.
Premier league Positions
| Season | Final Position | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1997–1998 – Allied Dunbar Premiership | 6th | 23 |
| 1998–1999 – Allied Dunbar Premiership | 10th | 19 |
| 1999–2000 – Allied Dunbar Premiership | 3rd | 30 |
| 2000–2001 – Zurich Premiership | 7th | 48 |
| 2001–2002 – Zurich Premiership | 3rd | 67 |
| 2002–2003 – Zurich Premiership | 1st | 82 |
| 2003–2004 – Zurich Premiership | 4th | 63 |
| 2004–2005 – Zurich Premiership | 6th | 47 |
| 2005–2006 – Guinness Premiership | 5th | 59 |
| 2006–2007 – Guinness Premiership | 1st | 71 |
| 2007–2008 – Guinness Premiership | 1st | 74 |
| 2008–2009 – Guinness Premiership | 6th | 57 |
| 2009–2010 – Guinness Premiership | 7th | 48 |
| 2010–2011 – Aviva Premiership | 3rd | 67 |
Stadium
Gloucester Rugby play their homes matches at Kingsholm StadiumKingsholm Stadium
Kingsholm Stadium is a rugby union stadium in Gloucester, England, and is the home stadium of Gloucester Rugby. The stadium has a capacity of 16,500. It is sometimes nicknamed 'Castle Grim' after the estate where the stadium is built and also in reference to Gloucester's admirable home form...
.
The club left the Spa Ground for Kingsholm when it bought an area of the Castle Grim Estate for £4,000 in 1891.
Upon moving from the Spa in 1891, Gloucester Rugby Football Club opened the "Sixpenny" stand, which later became known as the Shed. Kingsholm's capacity was further increased to 20,000 in 1926 when a grandstand was added to the stadium at a cost of £2,500, containing 1,750 seats. However six years later it was destroyed by fire. There were plans proposed to increase the seating capacity of the stadium to 7,000. However, it remained a proposal, although the grandstand was replaced, terracing in the Sixpenny, and at the Tummp end was preferred, and indeed, more affordable in the early 20th Century.
Like the clubs of the Welsh mining valleys, Gloucester Rugby traditionally drew its support and its playing strength from local working-class communities. The Shed, so-called because it looks like a cow shed, became known as such in the 1950s. Gloucester Rugby's fanzine, 'Shed Head' refers to it as 'the cauldron of fear'. The Shed is standing-only terracing that runs continuously down one touchline, opposite the point where visiting teams emerge from the dressing rooms. Its low tin roof amplifies the effect of a passionate support which has been mentioned by commentators sitting above it during live broadcasts.
In October 2003, Gloucester Rugby launched 'Project Kingsholm'. 'The Kingsholm Supporters Mutual' (KSM) was set up by Gloucester Rugby Football Club in October 2003, to help fundraise towards 'Project Kingsholm', the redevelopment of Gloucester’s entire ground at a cost of £6,000,000, and the launch of a supporters shares rights issue. The idea was to be similar to the development at Franklins Gardens, home of Northamption Saints RFC, although on a bigger scale, incorporating both seating and terracing. Despite the KSM meeting the fundraising targets, Gloucester Rugby abandoned all plans.
In 2006, the club announced it would be making an extension to Kingsholm, bringing the stadium capacity up to 16,500. This was mainly to comply with Premier Rugby's minimum seat number requirements. The old main Grandstand (which was both terracing and seating) was later replaced by a new all seater structure, while terracing on the Worcester Street end of the ground was developed into an all seater stand, known as the 'Buildbase' stand at the time.
In January 2007, the club announced plans to redevelop The Shed terracing to all seater. This was intended to enable the entire stadium to become all-seating. A large number of supporters did not want to see this happen under the proposals put forward by Gloucester Rugby, and a poster campaign under the name of 'Save Our Shed' or 'SOS' was initiated by the KSM, and sponsored by the Gloucester Citizen
The Citizen (Gloucester)
The Citizen is a daily newspaper in Gloucester, England, that covers Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean.The paper was first published on 1 May 1876 and today it is part of the Northcliffe Media group. The current Editor is Ian Mean....
newspaper. Posters were held up by supporters standing in the Shed, on camera during a televised Heineken Cup match against Leinster at Kingsholm. T-shirts were also made independently by supporters, with the slogan 'Save Our Shed' printed on them. The campaign did not protest the redevelopment of the Shed, rather the plans put forward at the time which were to replace all terracing with seats, leaving no alternative anywhere in the ground, despite such a large demand for terracing.
In September 2008, chairman Tom Wilkinshaw confirmed there were plans for the Shed to be redeveloped, but it would remain as a terrace (with an increased capacity of 6000), with hospitality units above it. However, as of the 2010/11 season, the need and desire for redeveloping the Shed decreased with the above mentioned plans proving to be conjecture, and as such abandoned, have never come into effect and do not appear to for the foreseeable future.
2007 also saw the club reject the proposal of a new 20,000 all seater stadium in an area of the city nicknamed 'The Railway Triangle'. This was intended to be shared with the local football side. Kingsholm was also suggested in October 2007 as a possible temporary home for Gloucester City A.F.C.
Gloucester City A.F.C.
Gloucester City Association Football Club is an English semi-professional association football club currently based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire in South West England, via groundshare agreement....
after their stadium Meadow Park was flooded and then abandoned following the summer floods
2007 United Kingdom floods
The 2007 United Kingdom floods were a series of destructive floods that occurred in various areas across the country during the summer of 2007. The most severe floods occurred across Northern Ireland on 12 June; East Yorkshire and The Midlands on 15 June; Yorkshire, The Midlands, Gloucestershire,...
. This move was, however, rejected by Gloucester Rugby Chairman, Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
.
Modernisation
At the start of the 2005 season, the club chairman Tom WalkinshawTom Walkinshaw
Tom Walkinshaw was a Scottish racing car driver and the founder of the racing team Tom Walkinshaw Racing...
began several changes to modernise the club in order to keep up with rugby's rapidly advancing professionalism, whilst the majority of fans supported the need to modernise, some fans were concerned that the club was losing touch with its heritage and traditions. 'Gloucester Rugby Football Club' has been renamed 'Gloucester Rugby' and, due to copyright issues, no longer use Gloucester City's Coat of Arms as the clubs crest (as the crest didn't belong to the club, and with no copyright, unofficial merchandise was freely available).
Colours
The famous red and white hooped jersey did not originally belong to the club. Painswick RFC, based in Gloucestershire and the oldest village club, are the original 'Cherry and Whites'. According to local legend at the clubs first meeting it was decided that the clubs uniform was to be entirely navy blue, yet on an away trip they realised they had forgotten to bring sufficient Navy strip for the entire team, leaving behind a kit bag full of shirts, Travelling en route through Painswick, they stopped off at the local rugby club and asked to borrow a strip. Painswick RFC loaned them 15 of their cherry and white jerseys, the Gloucester side went on to win the away fixture and failed to return the shirts to Painswick, adopting the colours as their own. In 2003, to celebrate Gloucester RFC's 130th anniversary, Gloucester RFC returned the favour and donated Painswick RFC an entire new set of first team colours.For the start of the 2001/02 season the club introduced New Jersey's which no longer featured the cherry-and-white hoops, instead featuring a largely red shirt with small white sleeves. They returned to hoops in the 2003/04 season, with thin white hoops. As of the 2005/06 season, the club moved away from traditional hoops again. The New Jersey was predominantly red, with white pannelling on the side in a 'ladder' effect. This was dubbed the 'Spiderman' or 'Arsenal' kit by supporters. The new kit also abandoned the traditional navy blue shorts and socks, with the new design becoming all red. On the release of the 05/06 shirt there was a degree of disappointment in Gloucester Rugby's decision to move away from the hooped jersey again (a design generally associated with traditional rugby shirts), as this was a dramatic move away from the classic Gloucester Rugby design. After the new 05/06 shirt was released, 'Hudson & Sons Sports Shop' of Gloucester city centre, released a classic plain cherry and white hooped Gloucester Rugby jersey, manufactured by Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders
Cotton Traders is a British clothing company, specialising in rugby apparel and leisurewear, based in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It was founded in 1987 by former England national rugby union team captains Fran Cotton and Steve Smith....
(who supplied Gloucester Rugby Jerseys prior to the 2007–08 season when the manufacture of kit was taken over by RugbyTech), albeit an unofficial jersey which is not associated with the club, the shirt proved popular with fans unhappy with the official shirt. On the back of this success, many of the Public Houses in the Kingsholm area also began selling shirts with the classic hoops. Although these shirts do not display the name 'Gloucester Rugby', due to copyright, the Hudson variety were labelled 'Gloucester Rugby Football Club' while the pub versions used the title 'Cherry and Whites'. Both designs used the traditional cherry and white hoops, with the title under the Gloucester city coat of arms. As such many of the fans who disapproved of the new original design were able to purchase this classic design instead.
A number of fans commented on the irony that whilst the new crest and shirt design were originally designed in order to prevent unofficial merchandise, they have in fact increased the number of fans turning to unofficial shirts. Gloucester Rugby released its own, official, supporters shirt displaying the classic hooped design with the new club crest above the date of the clubs inception '1873'. For the start of the 2009/10 season, the club returned the first team jersey design to the cherry and white hoops.
Nickname
Throughout Gloucester Rugby's history the club has never had an official nickname, the first unofficial nicknames for the club were 'the elver eaters' and 'the city', although that name is a distant memory mused over by the club's oldest and longest supporters, the classic 'cherry and whites' nickname, which has become synonymous with the club, was created by the media in reference to the club's colours. The media first referenced the club colours around the 1950s as the 'red and whites' and continued to use this nickname well into the 1960s before changing to the 'cherry and whites'. However, Painswick RFC, from whom Gloucester 'borrowed' their colours, claim to be the originators of the nickname 'the cherry and whites' and proudly present themselves as "The original Cherry & Whites", despite these colours also having featured famously before the schism by Wigan WarriorsWigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
.
The issue of the club's nickname has created split opinions amongst it supporters. There are some who would like to see the 'cherry and whites' nickname made official and who see the club suggesting that a colour isn't intimidating as ludicrous, pointing out that probably the most intimidating team in the world are the New Zealand All Blacks, who don't seem to find having a colour nickname crippling. Other fans don't see the need of having an official nickname and are happy to simply use 'Gloucester'.
Current squad
Current England Saxons Squad
- Luke NarrawayLuke NarrawayLuke Narraway is a rugby union footballer who plays for Gloucester Rugby.-Club career:Narraway joined Gloucester Rugby from The King's School, Worcester after 4 years at The Chantry High School, Worcestershire...
- James Simpson-DanielJames Simpson-DanielJames David Simpson-Daniel is an English rugby union footballer who plays wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby....
- Charlie SharplesCharlie SharplesCharlie Sharples is an English rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Guinness Premiership for Gloucester. He plays as a wing....
- Henry TrinderHenry TrinderHenry Richard Trinder is an English rugby union player for Gloucester Rugby in the Guinness Premiership. He plays as a centre or on the wing....
Internationally Capped Players
Matias Cortese Alex Brown Andy HazellAndy Hazell
Andy Hazell is an English rugby union player who plays at flanker for Gloucester Rugby.He took up the game aged 12 when he joined Old Richians, where he stayed for four years before joining another of his local teams, Gloucester Old Boys. His first representative game was for the South West U16s...
Olly Morgan
Olly Morgan
Oliver Morgan is a rugby union footballer who plays at fullback for Gloucester and England.-2004–05:Morgan made 2 appearances for Gloucester during his debut season...
Luke Narraway
Luke Narraway
Luke Narraway is a rugby union footballer who plays for Gloucester Rugby.-Club career:Narraway joined Gloucester Rugby from The King's School, Worcester after 4 years at The Chantry High School, Worcestershire...
Charlie Sharples
Charlie Sharples
Charlie Sharples is an English rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Guinness Premiership for Gloucester. He plays as a wing....
James Simpson-Daniel
James Simpson-Daniel
James David Simpson-Daniel is an English rugby union footballer who plays wing or centre for Gloucester Rugby....
Mike Tindall
Mike Tindall
Michael James Tindall, MBE is an English rugby player who plays outside centre for Gloucester Rugby and has captained the England team...
Lesley Vainikolo
Lesley Vainikolo
Lesley Vainikolo is a dual code professional rugby football player who currently plays for Gloucester Rugby. He plays on the wing....
Tom Voyce
Tom Voyce
Thomas Michael Dunstan Voyce is an English rugby union footballer who plays at wing or fullback for Gloucester and England.-Biography:...
Akapusi Qera
Akapusi Qera
Akapusi Qera is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8, Qera is from a sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. Qera is a current test international and has also captained the national side...
Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu Jim Hamilton Rory Lawson
Rory Lawson
Rory Lawson is a Scottish international rugby union player who currently plays for Gloucester Rugby as a Scrum Half. He attended Dollar Academy where he captained the school's 1st XV. After a number of years playing amateur rugby for Heriots he then took a professional contract with Edinburgh...
Scott Lawson
Scott Lawson
Scott Lawson is a Scottish rugby union player who plays club rugby for Gloucester Rugby after moving there from Sale Sharks in September 2008, and plays internationally for . He plays as a hooker....
Alasdair Strokosch
Alasdair Strokosch
Alasdair Strokosch is a Scottish rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Guinness Premiership for Gloucester Rugby. He plays as a flanker.Strokosch started his professional career with Edinburgh Rugby...
Will James
Will James (rugby player)
Will James is a Wales international rugby union player. He currently plays for Gloucester Rugby, and has also played for Pontypridd RFC and Cornish Pirates. His usual position is second-row forward....
Players In
Matias Cortese (from Pampas XVPampas XV
Pampas XV is an Argentine rugby union team, currently playing in the South African domestic rugby union competition, the Vodacom Cup. The team was established in 2010 and is composed almost entirely by members of the High Performance Plan of the UAR....
) Nathan Charles
Nathan Charles
Nathan Charles Nathan Charles Nathan Charles (born 9 January 1989 is an Australian rugby union player. He plays hooker for the Western Force in the Super 14 competition.-Career:...
(from
Western ForceWestern Force
Western Force is a rugby union team based in Perth, Western Australia playing in the international Super Rugby competition. They first competed in the 2006 season and finished with the wooden spoon in that year, however their performances greatly improved in 2007. In 2008 they finished in 8th...
) Dan Murphy (from
London IrishLondon Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
) Nick Runciman
Nick Runciman
Nick Runciman is an English rugby union player, who plays for Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership. Runciman had previously played for Worcester Warriors for a number of years having come through the academy there. He joined Gloucester from London Welsh He plays as a scrum half...
(from
London Welsh) Dario ChistoliniDario Chistolini
Dario Chistolini is a rugby union player for Gloucester Rugby in the Aviva Premiership. He plays as a prop.Dario joined Gloucester for the start of the 2011-12 season. He joined from Petrarca....
(from
Petrarca Padova) Players Out
Dave AttwoodDave Attwood
Dave Attwood is a rugby union player who plays at Lock for Bath Rugby in the Aviva Premiership.-Early career:...
(to
BathBath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
) Paul Doran-Jones
Paul Doran-Jones
Paul Doran-Jones is a rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Aviva Premiership for Northampton Saints. He plays as a prop.-Club career:...
(to
Northampton SaintsNorthampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
) Jordi Pasqualin
Jordi Pasqualin
Jordi Pasqualin is a rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Aviva Premiership for Newcastle Falcons after signing from Gloucester in the Summer of 2011...
(to
Newcastle FalconsNewcastle Falcons
The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...
) Dan Williams
Dan Williams (rugby player)
Dan Williams is a rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Guinness Premiership for Gloucester Rugby. He plays as a flanker. As a member of the Academy, he is also registered to play for Moseley, and has done so on several occasions, most notably in the EDF National Trophy Final of 2009,...
(to
ColomiersUS Colomiers
US Colomiers is a French rugby union club currently competing in Fédérale 1, the third level of the French rugby pyramid. They had been relegated from Pro D2 after finishing last in the 2006-07 season, but earned promotion from Fédérale 1 at the first opportunity in 2007-08, and survived a...
) Olivier Azam
Olivier Azam
Olivier Azam is a retired French rugby union footballer and current forwards coach at Top 14 club Toulon. A hooker who could also cover prop, Azam spent most of his professional playing career in the English Premiership at Gloucester Rugby. Azam also had 10 caps for France.Azam made his Gloucester...
Retiring,
ToulonRC Toulonnais
RC Toulonnais is a French professional rugby union club based in Toulon in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
forwards coach Pierre Capdevielle
Pierre Capdevielle
Pierre Capdevielle is a rugby union footballer, who played in the Aviva Premiership for Gloucester Rugby during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons...
(to
BriveCA Brive
Club Athlétique Brive Corrèze Limousin is a French rugby union team founded in 1910 and based in Brive-la-Gaillarde in the département of Corrèze of the Limousin région . They wear black and white and play in the Stade Amédée-Domenech .- History :The club was created on 15 March 1910 established on...
) Alasdair Dickinson
Alasdair Dickinson
Alasdair Dickinson is a Scottish rugby union footballer, who plays for Sale Sharks. He plays as a prop. He is a product of the Scottish Institute of Sport....
(to
Sale SharksSale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club who play in England in the Aviva Premiership.The club is an offshoot of Sale FC, which is based at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, but Sharks currently play in Stockport at Edgeley Park, ground sharing with Stockport County F.C.Part of the...
) Nicky Robinson (to
London WaspsLondon Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
)
Notable former players
Jason Little Rodrigo RonceroRodrigo Roncero
Rodrigo Roncero, also known as "RoRo" , is an Argentinian rugby union footballer. He currently plays for Stade Français in the national domestic competition of France, the Top 14. He has also played for Gloucester Rugby in the Guinness Premiership from 2002 to 2004...
Dave Attwood
Dave Attwood
Dave Attwood is a rugby union player who plays at Lock for Bath Rugby in the Aviva Premiership.-Early career:...
Olly Barkley
Olly Barkley
Oliver John Barkley is an English rugby union player who plays at fly-half or centre for Bath and England. Uniquely, Barkley played for his country before making his full senior club début.-Early career:...
Phil Blakeway
Phil Blakeway
Philip John "Phil" Blakeway is a former international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Gloucester Rugby.-Notes:...
Steve Boyle
Steve Boyle
Stephen Brent Boyle is a former international rugby union player. In 1983 he toured with the British and Irish Lions on their tour to New Zealand and at the time played club rugby for Gloucester.-Notes:...
Paul Doran-Jones
Paul Doran-Jones
Paul Doran-Jones is a rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Aviva Premiership for Northampton Saints. He plays as a prop.-Club career:...
James Forrester
James Forrester (rugby player)
James Forrester is a former English rugby union player who played at number eight for Gloucester Rugby.James is a tall, agile, talented number eight with excellent ball handling skills and an eye for the try line, as his impressive try tally for Gloucester Rugby demonstrates...
Andy Gomarsall
Andy Gomarsall
Andrew Charles Thomas Gomarsall MBE is a rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for Leeds Carnegie and England.He previously played for Gloucester Rugby, Bedford and Wasps...
Steve Mills
Steve Mills (rugby player)
Stephen Graham Ford "Steve" Mills , is a former England international rugby union player. A hooker, he played his club rugby for Gloucester....
Henry Paul
Henry Paul
Henry Paul , is a dual code rugby international. Paul has previously represented New Zealand in rugby league and England in rugby union XV's and 7's. He currently holds the world record for the most consecutive kicks on the field.Paul's usual position is loose forward/Lock. He can also operate in...
Don Rutherford
Don Rutherford
is a former international rugby union player. He was also the first ever Technical Director of the Rugby Football Union at Twickenham, becoming Director of Rugby where he served with distinction from 1969 - 1999....
Mike Teague
Mike Teague
Michael Clive Teague is a former England and British Lions rugby union footballer.-Early life:Teague was born and raised on a pig farm a few miles outside Gloucester...
Phil Vickery
Phil Vickery (rugby player)
Philip John Vickery MBE is a former English rugby union tighthead prop and member of the England squad. He was a member of England's World Cup winning squad in 2003, playing in all seven matches in the tournament, and is a former England captain. Vickery ended his club rugby career at Wasps,...
Dan Williams
Dan Williams
Daniel Lawrence "Dan" Williams is a former professional baseball player and the current bullpen catcher for the Cleveland Indians. He has been a player or coach in the Indians system since 1988...
Trevor Woodman
Trevor Woodman
Trevor James Woodman MBE is a former English rugby union footballer. He went to Liskeard School in Cornwall and won representative honours with Cornwall Under 16s....
John Gordon A'Bear
John Gordon A'Bear
John A'Bear was an English rugby union player. He played club rugby for Gloucester and was their youngest captain. Although he never won a cap for England, he did tour Argentina with the British Isles team in 1936.-Early life:...
, international rugby union player with the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
, and Gloucester's youngest ever captain Apolosi Satala
Apolosi Satala
Apolosi Vonowale Satala is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing, centre, number eight and Flanker . His nickname is Apo. He is the cousin of Namoli steelman, Viliame Satala. He is married to Olivia and they have two children and is a private in the Army serving with 1st Battalion...
Olivier Azam
Olivier Azam
Olivier Azam is a retired French rugby union footballer and current forwards coach at Top 14 club Toulon. A hooker who could also cover prop, Azam spent most of his professional playing career in the English Premiership at Gloucester Rugby. Azam also had 10 caps for France.Azam made his Gloucester...
Christian Califano
Christian Califano
Christian Califano is a former French rugby union player who finished his career at Gloucester Rugby.At the end of 2003, he had been capped 68 times for the France national team, which was the record for a French prop until Sylvain Marconnet earned his 69th one on February 4, 2007...
Pierre Capdevielle
Pierre Capdevielle
Pierre Capdevielle is a rugby union footballer, who played in the Aviva Premiership for Gloucester Rugby during the 2009/10 and 2010/11 seasons...
Patrice Collazo
Patrice Collazo
Patrice Collazo is a French rugby union footballer, currently playing in the Top 14 for Racing Métro 92 Paris. He plays as a prop.-External links:*...
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Saint-André
Philippe Georges Saint-André is a former French rugby union footballer who earned 69 test caps for France between 1990 and 1997, 34 of them as captain. His preferred position was wing but he could also play at Fullback. After retiring, Saint-André found success as a rugby coach in both England and...
Ludovic Mercier
Ludovic Mercier
Ludovic Mercier is a French rugby union player, currently playing for the Italian top-flight team Petrarca Rugby.He is a fly half...
Dimitri Yachvili
Dimitri Yachvili
Dimitri Yachvili is a French rugby union footballer who currently plays scrum-half for Biarritz and France.Of Georgian descent, his father Michel was a French international before him...
Marco Bortolami
Marco Bortolami
Marco Bortolami is an Italian international rugby union player, playing club rugby for Aironi in the Celtic League. In January 2008 he was replaced as captain of Italy's national team....
Carlos Nieto
Carlos Nieto
This article is about the Italian rugby player. For the Third Watch character, see Carlos Nieto .Carlos Nieto is an Italian Argentine international rugby union player....
Ian Jones
Ian Jones (rugby player)
Ian Donald Jones MNZM is a former New Zealand rugby union player. He played 79 tests for the All Blacks and is the most capped lock and formed one of the most famous lock pairings in international rugby, often partnered with Robin Brooke in the All Blacks from 1992 to 1998...
Greg Somerville
Greg Somerville
Greg Mardon Somerville is a New Zealand rugby union player. He is a former All Black and a specialised tighthead prop who can also play loosehead. Somerville made his All Black debut in 2000 against Tonga, a match in which the All Blacks won 102–0...
Terry Fanolua
Terry Fanolua
Terry Fanolua is a Samoan rugby union player. He played as a Centre for Gloucester and Samoa for a number of years.Fanolua played for Gloucester for ten years and became a member of the 100 league games club...
Alasdair Dickinson
Alasdair Dickinson
Alasdair Dickinson is a Scottish rugby union footballer, who plays for Sale Sharks. He plays as a prop. He is a product of the Scottish Institute of Sport....
Chris Paterson
Chris Paterson
Chris Paterson is a Scotland internationalist who plays for RaboDirect Pro12 side Edinburgh Rugby. He is Scotland’s record cap and points holder with 109 caps and 809 points. Paterson is capable in a range of positions, including fullback, wing and fly-half. In recent years Paterson has played...
Gareth Cooper
Gareth Cooper
Gareth Cooper is a former Wales international rugby union player who plays at scrum-half for the Cardiff Blues. He is renowned for his darting breaks from rucks.-Career:...
Mefin Davies
Mefin Davies
David Mefin Davies is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for the Ospreys and the Wales national rugby union team.Davies was born in Nantgaredig. He made his international debut on 8 June 2002 at Cape Town, South Africa...
Gareth Delve
Gareth Delve
Gareth Leon Delve is a Wales international rugby union player. In 2010 he captained Gloucester in the English Guinness Premiership, before moving to Australia where he became vice captain of the Melbourne Rebels. His usual position is number 8...
Byron Hayward
Byron Hayward
Byron Idris Hayward was an international rugby union full back who played for Wales and Wales A. He had an impressive debut for Wales scoring three tries in his first international match against Zimbabwe. Hayward caused controversy in 2000 by refusing to play against Scotland A in Bridgend because...
Kingsley Jones Nicky Robinson Andy Williams
Andy Williams (rugby player)
Andy Williams , is a Welsh international rugby union player. A scrum half, he has attained 5 caps for the Wales national rugby union team....
Club honours
- League runners-up = 1988–89, 1989–90, 2002–03, 2006–07.
- Zurich Championship winners = 2001–02.
- Anglo-Welsh Cup winners = 1971–72, 1977–78, 1981–82 (shared), 2002–03, 2010-11
- Cup runners-up = 1989–90, 2008-2009, 2009–10.
- C&G League Cup winners = 1997–98, 1998–99.
- European Challenge CupEuropean Challenge CupThe European Challenge Cup, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Amlin Challenge Cup, is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup. The cup was known as the Parker Pen Shield from 2001 to 2003 and Parker Pen Challenge Cup from 2003 to 2005. The European...
winners = 2005–06. - National Merit Table 'A' winners = 1985–86.
- Middlesex 7sMiddlesex 7sThe Middlesex Sevens is a rugby union sevens tournament held annually at Twickenham stadium in London, England. It was first held in 1926, and started by Dr J.A. Russell-Cargill, a London based Scot...
winners = 2005.
External links
- Official site
- Gloucester at RugbyWeek.com
- Live streaming commentary on all games and lots more from BBC Gloucestershire
- Gloucester Rugby Heritage
- Visitor information on Gloucester for travelling fans – details of where to stay and eating out in Gloucester
- The Kingsholm Supporters Mutual – an independent supporters organisation